


On Second Thought

by chocohobi



Series: Misc. Zutara [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Explicit Language, Gen, Mild Language, Other, angst when you squint, the first word you see is fuck so like ?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:02:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24765868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chocohobi/pseuds/chocohobi
Summary: I wondered how an interaction between Katara and Zuko could possibly go if she hadn't run out of the tea shop upon spotting him in The Guru. this is what i came up with. originally posted on its-an-iiiusion on tumblr.
Relationships: Zutara - Relationship, but still antagonistic
Series: Misc. Zutara [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1791019
Kudos: 33





	On Second Thought

Fuck.  
That’s the only thing she can process seeing his face in the teashop, and as far as she can read the feeling is mutual. The twisted up scowl she usually met him with had unraveled into shock she didn’t know she could instill in him.  
They just kind of freeze both the deer and the headlights.  
Why now?  
What is he doing here?  
Do I seat her?  
Do I run?  
Please just run.  
I should run.  
But just as she turns-  
“Lee,” Zuko jumps at his alias, “you seat customers when they enter.”  
Katara is just as startled by the familiarity of this new voice, and she sees the old man Zuko always traveled with behind the teashop counter.  
Zuko, or "Lee", continues to gape with the lack of surety of where this situation is headed, all that he thought possible this morning can come crashing down with the next words she says.  
The other cafe patrons are starting to wonder what exactly warranted this petrified staring contest.  
“Uhh- I- err- would? You like to be seated?” Zuko is new to the self satisfaction game, but nothing could equip him to face her.  
Katara scans the shop and concludes making a run for it would cause more drama than the team could afford to stir up by this point.  
“I guess.”  
Zuko winces at the scathing in her tone.  
“R-right this way.”  
Katara had never seen a boy scuttle- yes scuttle, like an oyster crab- quite so fast as Zuko did to her corner seat by the window, then behind the counter, but she was not shy about the glare piercing over her menu and into his frantically gesticulating back. Said back made a sharp 90 degree turn before being shoved from behind the counter despite the old man looking generally undisturbed.  
Zuko has progressed to a stiff hobble in his attempts to revisit her table and does not handle the weight of her gaze well when he arrives.  
“H-have you decided-d on a selection?” He is staring as hard as he can into the table in the hopes it will animate and eat him. “Whatever y-you like is on the house.”  
She continues to seethe in silence.  
“I could recommend something if you like…”  
He feels her burning through his skin in a way he never thought he’d feel again.  
“Uncle is partial to ginseng…”  
That earns a huff.  
“Fuck,” He whispers, “I’m sorry okay.”  
Her eyes widen in shock, usually people leave her to simmer in her rage, not stoke it.  
“I’m sorry for tormenting you half-way across the world, I’m sorry for stealing your necklace, I’m sorry for nearly killing myself and him in a blizzard I’m just really fucking sorry okay.” He deflates into the chair across from her with each admission and watching him shrink emboldens her to speak.  
“But you’re not sorry for trying to take away the world’s hope? Its last chance for peace?” She stares him down trying to glean any bit of deceit from his face. She sees him still but can only gather a mumble. “Speak up.” She spits.  
“I never thought that big about it.” Zuko admits.  
Katara can’t help but contort her face with the implications of what he just said.  
“So you’re just a selfish bastard, rather than an imperialist bastard?”  
Zuko breathe’s out a humorless laugh, “A bastard all the same.”  
He looks hurt by this in a way Katara would rather not uncover.  
“Whatever on the menu is the most calming please. To go.” She has things to do anyway.


End file.
